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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24871501">The Emperor's New Clothes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malgus_316/pseuds/Malgus_316'>Malgus_316</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday Fluff, F/F, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:49:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24871501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malgus_316/pseuds/Malgus_316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A special one-shot to commemorate Edelgard's birthday! It's a story about surprise parties, outfit swaps, discovering one's self confidence, and the unconditional love between friends. Please keep in mind that there are mentions and descriptions of Edelgard's scars, so if this type of content is uncomfortable for you, be aware!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Emperor's New Clothes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story takes place after the end of Crimson Flower. All of the characters who could be spared are assumed to be alive. I also elected to keep Ladislava and Randolph alive in this scenario, because I love them and they deserved better! Thank you for reading, and enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"El! El! Wake up!"</p><p>
Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg awoke to the sound of her beloved professor's excited voice and a barrage of gentle shaking. She rolled over groggily, her face ending up only inches away from Byleth's smiling visage- a sight she was still getting used to. "She's certainly much more emotive now," she observed as the cobwebs began to clear from her mind.</p><p>
"Byleth, I- what time is it?" she stammered, sitting up and stretching in an attempt to fully rouse herself.</p><p>
"Time for you to get up, my love!" the former mercenary replied excitedly, her cobalt eyes sparkling. "There's something really important I have to show you!"</p><p>
Knowing her wife, that could mean anything from a revolutionary idea for her new government to a frog she found in the palace gardens. While she loved seeing her beloved so excited after years of struggling with her emotions, it sometimes made it difficult to gauge just how important the thing in question was. Not that she minded, of course- every day with Byleth was a new adventure, and she was grateful for all of them, no matter how small.</p><p>
"Very well, you've convinced me," Edelgard said, a soft smile creeping onto her own face. "Just give me a few minutes to get ready and I'll be right out."</p><p>
Byleth locked El in a tight embrace, nearly vibrating with joy. "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! You're going to love it, I just know it!" After receiving an emphatic hug back from Edelgard, she left to wait outside of the Emperor's chamber door.</p><p>
"I probably shouldn't keep her waiting too long," El thought to herself. Shaking off the last of her morning drowsiness, she searched her armoire for an outfit that would be suitably easy to put on. After deciding on the old Black Eagles loungewear she was given at Garreg Mach five years ago- a favorite of hers for those rare days when no problems required her attention- she quickly tied her hair into a neat ponytail and went out to meet her partner.</p><p>
“Wow, you look amazing!” Byleth beamed upon seeing her, and El could feel a flush creep onto her cheeks in response.</p><p>
“You’re too kind, my light,” the young Emperor answered. “I must confess, I normally would have spent much more time on my hair, but whatever you wanted to show me sounded very important to you.”</p><p>
“Something tells me it will be even more important to you, El!” she replied, the joy plain to hear in her once-monotone voice. “Come on, I’ll show you!” And with that, the former professor was sprinting through the halls of Enbarr as fast as her legs could carry her. El ran after her, doing her best to keep up with her shorter strides. The two lovers wound through the palace; through long hallways, across courtyards, down spiral staircases. By the time they reached the great oaken door into the dining hall, they were both out of breath.</p><p>
“The dining hall? Was all of this just an excuse to have breakfast with me?” Edelgard asked between distressed inhales.</p><p>
“You’ll see,” Byleth said playfully. “Now, close your eyes.”</p><p>
“Close my eyes?” Now the Emperor knew something was up. "Why all this excitement and secrecy?" she wondered. If the professor had asked her this five years ago, there was no way El would have gone along with it. But after everything the two of them had been through, all of the hardships they had conquered, she trusted Byleth with all her heart. So she closed her eyes, and let her wife guide her through the doorway.</p><p>
The dining hall smelled of warm pancakes, eggs, and bacon, but there was a strange hush about it. Normally there was much bustle and conversation as officials, petitioners, and visiting nobles shared their meals. Today, however, there was nothing. Edelgard couldn't help but grow a bit uneasy for a moment. "Byleth, just what are you trying to show me?" she wondered to herself. As if sensing her unease, the older woman placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.</p><p>
"You can open your eyes now."</p><p>
"Surprise!" A chorus of voices shouted in unison as she opened her eyes. The entire Black Eagle Strike Force had been reassembled in the dining hall! All of her former classmates, Randolph, Ladislava, Fleche, the students who had once belonged to the Blue Lions and Golden Deer houses, the Ashen Wolves. Even Shamir and Catherine had come. Banners reading "Happy Birthday, Edelgard" hung throughout the cavernous hall, and the largest pancake buffet she had ever seen was set up on the long table at the far side. A veritable mountain of gifts stood next to it, all to celebrate her.</p><p>
"My teacher, you- you set up all of this for me?" Edelgard asked, still shocked by all of the work that had clearly gone into the occasion. Between preparing for the war against Those Who Slither in the Dark and beginning to transition Fódlan into her new governmental system, she had nearly forgotten her birthday was even approaching. She could hardly believe that Byleth had remembered, let alone gone to such lengths to celebrate.</p><p>
"Not alone, of course! I couldn't have made this work without Ladislava helping me out with the organizing."</p><p>
"Think nothing of it, Your Majesty," the knight said, blushing at the unexpected compliment. "We know that ruling a continent can be overwhelming, so we wanted to give you a day where you could forget about all of that. Happy birthday, Lady Edelgard."</p><p>
"Besides, none of us could resist the chance to see our Edie again!" Dorothea added emphatically with her trademark wink.</p><p>
"What are we all just standing around for? There's cake to be eaten!" Lysithea interrupted, holding an almost comically large tray.</p><p>
"We made it for you ourselves," Annette added proudly. "We couldn't decide if we thought you'd like lemon cake or vanilla cake better, so we just mixed the batters together and made a lemon-vanilla swirl cake! Consider it our gift to you!"</p><p>
"It sounds wonderful, Annette. I can't wait to give it a taste," Edelgard said, graciously accepting the surely delicious gift.</p><p>
"Then let's not, I'm hungry now!" Lysithea prodded once again.</p><p>
"Shouldn't we let her take a look at her other gifts first?" the small redhead admonished her partner. The snowy-haired woman pouted, but grumbled a small acknowledgement and retreated to her seat to watch.</p><p>
The guests crowded their chairs around El- except Bernadetta, who was happy to watch from the sidelines- as she began opening the rest of her gifts. She was blown away by how thoughtful each of them were, and how much work was put into some. Ladislava had given her a beautiful axe, its silver head affixed to the shaft with struts of blue metal. It bore an inscription of Hresvelg in ornate font near the base of the head. Petra had made her a shawl using traditional Brigid weaving techniques, which was said to bring prosperity and love to its wearer. Hubert and Ferdinand gave her a meticulously crafted homemade chess set, each piece individually carved into the image of a unique warrior. Ingrid had brought a tray of breads and cheeses from the revitalized Galatea territory- their first harvest in years. Bernadetta had knit a small stuffed bear in a replica of El's Emperor armor. Hilda had brought an ornate dress of white silk with crimson accents and bright silver trim, insisting that "The Emperor of Fódlan needs to look the part!" Dorothea's gift came in the form of a song detailing the Black Eagle Strike Force's victory over the Immaculate One- which, of course, she performed in full, much to El's chagrin.</p><p>
The gifts from the Ashen Wolves were certainly the strangest of the lot. From Hapi, she received a kitchen knife in the shape of a very small axe.</p><p>
"I used to overhear you talking to Chatterbox about how cooking would be easier if you could use an axe," she explained in her classic blank tone. "Now you can. You're welcome."</p><p>
"Allow me, Constance von Nuvelle, to show you how gift giving is truly done!" the energetic blonde announced as she approached with a bag of tea leaves. "This is the latest incarnation of my rainbow brew bergamot tea! I've refined the growing conditions quite expertly, and this particular batch is distilled with just a pinch of ice magic! I trust that you'll find it most enjoyable, but be aware that it might have a bit more kick than you're used to! Ohohohohoho!"</p><p>
Surrounded by so many wonderful gifts and even more wonderful people, El felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. "My friends, these are all such amazing gifts! I am truly grateful for all of them, and even more so for you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."</p><p>
"Not so fast, Princess," Catherine teased. "Looks like there's one you forgot about."</p><p>
"Huh?" Edelgard looked around for anything she might have missed, confused as to what she'd left behind. It wasn't until she heard Byleth clear her throat from behind her that she thought to turn around. And sure enough, there she was, holding an ornate rectangular box.</p><p>
"You didn't think I'd forgotten to get you something, did you?"</p><p>
Edelgard gently took the box in her hands and lifted the top. Folded up inside was a garment she'd know anywhere. A black leather top with cutouts on the chest and midriff, metal vambraces, black shorts, stockings, and a sleeved cape. But this ensemble was special- personalized, just for her. The cape and stockings were dyed her iconic crimson, and the gauntlets were plated in gold, giving them a more regal air.</p><p>
"Now we can match, El!" Byleth exclaimed, her expression plastered with pure bliss.</p><p>
"Oh, that's the sweetest thing I've ever seen!" Dorothea gushed. "Please tell me you'll try it on for us, Edie!"</p><p>
"I would be liking that greatly!" Petra said, enthusiastically echoing her treasured queen's sentiments.</p><p>
Edelgard gazed pensively at the costume in her lap. She wasn't used to wearing something so… revealing. She held a hand to her opposite bicep, feeling the scars that crisscrossed her skin. "What would they think if they saw the rest?" she thought despondently. A hundred painful memories surfaced in her mind at once, a hundred stories she'd rather forget. She felt her heart beating out of her chest, the sweat forming on her brow- until Byleth placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.</p><p>
"Do you want to take a walk? Get some air?" the blue-haired empress asked, a faint edge of concern to her voice.</p><p>
"Thank you, my love. I'd like that," El replied. "I'm sorry, everyone." With that, the two left the dining hall, the Emperor still clutching the costume in her arms.</p><p>"You don't have to wear it if you're not comfortable," Byleth said softly.</p><p>
"It's not that," Edelgard replied as the wind on the terrace tousled her hair. "It's just… I'm used to wearing clothes that cover more."</p><p>
Byleth moved a strand of silver hair out of her Emperor's face and locked her cobalt eyes with hers. "It's about your scars, isn't it?" she asked sadly.</p><p>
"I… I suppose I can't lie to you. Yes, it is."</p><p>
"They don't make you any less beautiful, El. You know that, right?"</p><p>
"How could they not?" El retorted, an edge of sadness tempering her voice. "Every time I look in the mirror, I'm reminded of how powerless I was in those moments. Of how I failed to save them. How could that possibly be beautiful?"</p><p>
"El…" Byleth gently turned El's face back toward her, wiping away the tears that had started flowing down her face. "My dad always told me that every scar is the story of something that wasn't strong enough to kill you. Of something that you overcame through your own willpower and fighting spirit. And that's exactly what I think of when I see you." She brought El's hand to her lips, gently kissing the scar that ran across the back. "These are not symbols of weakness. They're reminders of your strength, your will, your spirit. All of the things I fell in love with you for. I love you, El, and that includes all of your scars."</p><p>
For the first time in a long time, Edelgard von Hresvelg was speechless. She had always hated those scars and the memories they represented, but Byleth wasn't scared of them. To her, she wasn't the broken girl who watched her siblings die. She was a survivor, a fighter, the Emperor who changed the world to spare others the pain she endured.</p><p>
"My love, I can't possibly tell you how much this means to me," she said, breathless. "Thank you. For all of this."</p><p>
"Of course, El. I meant every word." Byleth pulled her beloved into a tender embrace. "Now, should we go dig into that cake? I bet Lysithea has gone crazy just looking at it."</p><p>
"Well, actually… there was one more thing I wanted to do first."</p><p>When Edelgard walked back into the dining hall, all eyes immediately turned to her. Ingrid very nearly choked on her tea, eliciting a cascade of laughter from Sylvain that was quickly halted by a punch to the arm. Ladislava blushed even deeper than she had earlier, trying in vain to direct her eyes away from her Emperor. Most of the Strike Force were much more vocal in their support.</p><p>
"Well, look at you, Edie! I think you should incorporate this into your wardrobe more often," Dorothea said with another wink.</p><p>
"I agree, it's truly an ensemble worthy of an Emperor," Ferdinand added enthusiastically.</p><p>
"I've got to admit, I'm a bit jealous," Hilda said playfully. "Hey professor, mind getting me one in black and pink?"</p><p>
"You are having such beauty in these clothes, Edelgard! I have amazement!" Petra's pride in her friend was abundantly clear in her voice.</p><p>
Edelgard couldn't help but blush. To see how accepting all of her friends were made her heart race with joy. Once again, just like when they chose to walk with her in the Holy Tomb, they supported her. Regardless of her past, of the things she endured, of the scars those things left on her. They loved all of her.</p><p>
It was in that moment that she truly found the confidence to make Byleth's outfit her own. Though her scars would always be there, she wasn't afraid of them anymore. They were a part of her; it was because of them that she had become the Emperor that Fódlan needed. She wasn't weak, she wasn't scared, and she certainly wasn't broken. She was Edelgard von Hresvelg.</p>
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